'Devastated' Billy Horschel On Why He's Skipping BMW PGA Championship

Billy Horschel looks on during the 2026 Wyndham Championship — (Image credit: Getty Images)

Three-time DP World Tour winner Billy Horschel has revealed he will miss the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth for the first time since 2020 later this month.

The American has regularly headed over to England at this stage of the season and has claimed the DP World Tour's flagship event twice so far in his career - in 2021 and 2024.

However, a heavily disrupted 2025 season due to injury made way for a disappointing 2026 campaign on the PGA Tour.

Horschel managed a best result of T12th at the Wyndham Championship but posted only three further individual top-20s in his 23 total starts prior.

Consequently, the University of Florida alumnus finds himself in 100th place in the FedEx Cup rankings ahead of the FedExCup Fall series, which begins with the Biltmore Championship between September 17-20.

Also taking place that week is the BMW PGA Championship on the European Tour - one of Horschel's favorite events of the year.

Posting a video to social media, Horschel explained why he is breaking a run of five consecutive appearances at Wentworth.

Horschel said: "To all the supporters and fans of the DP World Tour and the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, unfortunately, due to my not so stellar play on the PGA Tour this year, I'm gonna have to skip the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

"I'm devastated, I'm upset. It's a decision that was really tough to make. I think everyone understands how much I love this event and how much I've appreciated the support I received since 2019.

"I'm truly proud and honored to call myself a two-time champion of the event and I'm going to miss everyone over there this year."

Only the top-100 players will retain full playing rights on the PGA Tour for a crucial 2027 campaign and Horschel sits in a particularly precarious position at present.

Therefore, the long-suffering West Ham United fan shared he felt he had no other choice than to miss an event he has always been immensely well supported at.

A post shared by Billy Horschel (@billyho_golf)
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He continued: "I'm gonna miss Playing Wentworth. I'm going to miss seeing all the guys on the DP World Tour. I'm going to miss, you know, people say 'come on you Irons' to me.

"It's something that I truly do love and I think everyone sees the the smile I have on my face when I play there every year.

"So I'm wishing everyone a great event this year and I look forward to seeing everyone in the years to come.

"Thank you guys for your support and have a great week at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth."

Billy Horschel with the BMW PGA Championship trophy

While Horschel may not be in attendance this year, fans will still be treated to a fantastic week of golf with an incredible field.

Rory McIlroy headlines on the West Course and will be competing against the likes of Jon Rahm, JJ Spaun, Matt Fitzpatrick, Aaron Rai, Tyrrell Hatton, Robert MacIntyre, Justin Rose, Ludvig Aberg, Sepp Straka, Viktor Hovland, Shane Lowry and Brooks Koepka.

Other big names taking part include Adam Scott, Si Woo Kim, Padraig Harrington and Luke Donald.

Jonny Leighfield is our Staff News Writer who joined Golf Monthly just in time for the 2023 Solheim Cup and Ryder Cup. He graduated from the University of Brighton with a degree in Sport Journalism in 2017 and spent almost five years as the sole sports reporter at his local newspaper. During his time with Golf Monthly, Jonny has interviewed several stars of the game, including Robert MacIntyre, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, and Joaquin Niemann. An improving golfer himself, Jonny enjoys learning as much about the game as he can and recently reached his Handicap goal of 18 for the first time.